Paper currency acceptor

Abstract

A paper currency acceptor receives paper currency and stores the paper currency therein. A paper currency validator verifies validity of paper currency temporarily received from the outside of the paper currency acceptor to validate or reject the paper currency. A removable paper currency storage unit stores the paper currency validated by the paper currency validator. The paper currency is transferred to the paper currency storage unit. The paper currency transferred is displaced into the paper currency storage unit for storage therein. A drive source is provided for displacing the paper currency. The paper currency storage unit is locked to inhibit the paper currency storage unit from being removed from the paper currency acceptor. In the paper currency acceptor, the drive source is provided separately from the paper currency storage unit, and the drive source supplies driving force the locking/unlocking operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a paper currency acceptor for receiving paper currency and storing said paper currency therein, including: paper currency-validating means for verifying validity of paper currency temporarily received from the outside of said paper currency acceptor to validate or reject said temporarily received paper currency;   a paper currency storage means removable from said paper currency acceptor for storing said paper currency validated by said paper currency-validating means;   conveyor means for transferring said paper currency to said paper currency storage means;   paper currency-displacing means for displacing said paper currency transferred from said conveyor means into said paper currency storage means for storage therein;   a drive source for driving said paper currency-displacing means; and   locking/unlocking means for locking said paper currency storage means to make it impossible to remove said paper currency storage means from said paper currency acceptor,   the improvement wherein said drive source is provided separately from said paper currency storage means, and said locking/unlocking means is driven by said drive source for locking and unlocking operations thereof.   
     
     
       2. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 1, wherein said locking/unlocking means is arranged between said drive source and said paper currency-displacing means. 
     
     
       3. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 2, wherein said locking/unlocking means comprises a drive shaft driven by said drive source for rotation to transmit driving force from said drive source to said paper currency-displacing means, a pair of cams arranged on said drive shaft, and one-way clutches interposed between one of said pair of cams and said drive shaft and between the other of said pair of cams and said drive shaft, respectively, with one of said one-way clutches for one of said pair of cams and the other of said one-way clutches for the other of said pair of cams being opposite in the direction of rotation in unison with said drive shaft for transmitting said driving force. 
     
     
       4. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 8, wherein said locking/unlocking means includes a pair of rods which are capable of being displaced in opposite directions according to the rotation of one of said pair of cams, and wherein when said drive shaft is driven by said drive source for rotation in a locking direction, said pair of rods are actuated outward by said one of said pair of cams so as to be retained in respective locking positions in which said pair of rods are projected out of said paper currency acceptor. 
     
     
       5. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 4, wherein said pair of rods have grooves for engagement with retaining means for retaining said rods in said respective locking positions, and wherein said retaining means is disengaged from said grooves according to rotation of the other of said pair of cams. 
     
     
       6. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 8, wherein said paper currency storage means, said paper currency-displacing means, and said locking/unlocking means are arranged in one housing to form a unit removable from said paper currency acceptor. 
     
     
       7. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 4, wherein said paper currency storage means, said paper currency-displacing means, and said locking/unlocking means are arranged in one housing to form a unit removable from said paper currency acceptor. 
     
     
       8. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 7, wherein said rods are projected out of said housing when they are in said locking positions. 
     
     
       9. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 1, including control means for delivering a locking drive signal to said drive source to thereby cause said locking/unlocking means to be driven in said locking direction. 
     
     
       10. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 9, including a detector for detecting loading of said paper currency storage means when said paper currency storage means is loaded in said paper currency acceptor, and delivering a signal indicative of detection of said loading of said paper currency storage means to said control means, wherein said control means delivers said locking drive signal to said drive source in response to said signal from said detector. 
     
     
       11. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 9, wherein said control means delivers an unlocking drive signal to said drive source in response to a predetermined unlocking operation signal, to thereby cause said locking/unlocking means to be driven in an unlocking direction. 
     
     
       12. A paper currency acceptor according to claim 10, wherein said control means delivers an unlocking drive signal to said drive source in response to a predetermined unlocking operation signal, to thereby cause said locking/unlocking means to be driven in an unlocking direction.